The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-07-25
ADDRESS OF
HON. 5. c. PADELFORD,
Delivered at Cleburne, June
"a, 1887.
LADIES' AND GENTLEMEN :

reasons Tor the lhltn tnhl IL III nv
We have now pending before us as
citizens of Texas question OF most
vital and momentous importance, the
decision of which will result either in
n backward step, or grand stride for
ward in true Democratic government
halt and retrograde in civilization or
an onward move in true individuality
and social Improvement :,
This question has already been ably
presented to this people by others in
almost all of its phases and consequent
ly n large portion of what will say to
YOU has already been spoken about
and written upon and considered and
weighed by you, and all that can hope
to do is TO try and present again some
of these same points and principles IN
somewhat of different light thereby,
pcrchance opening up different ave-
nues ana channels of thought and IN
vestigation which may lead some to
arrive at the truth.
Before entering upon the discussion
of this question let us notice briefly
the chief sources from which flow the
errors of human action aud judgment.
LIST. There is class of people who
seldom think or reason for themselves,
but blindly follow the leadership OF
some other man or set of men whom
they conceive TO have been baptised
with the spirit of truth, who are per-
fcctly infalibe and all ogethcr incapa.
ne OF committing the least error.
have heard several Of my friends who
oppose this amendment, aud even some
who have assembled the rostrum to
speak against its adoption and who
are themselves attempting to direct
and lead others, say that because GER
tain well known politicians have pro-
nonnced themselves as being against
this amendment, that therefore ana
because of this fact, they likewise are
fgainstit il. This is the worst OF hero
worship and naught but political tcti-
chism. We look with pity upon the
poor barbarian who worships his lea
der and believes that he is an avatar
directly descended from the gods.
We are ashamed of the fact that our
ancestors believed in and held TO the
political hcresay of the divine right OF
kings. And yet it is a lamitablc fact
that in this age of enlightenment and
freedom, that there are some OF us, not
foreigners but " to the manner born
who acknowledge and publicly an
nounce "that there is divinity that
doth hedge king" and that the king
can do no wrong, yea not even think
awrong. This calls to mind custom
among the poor Figihns, which is this:
il is said that whenever their king i'll
any of his travels should happen 10
stump his toe and fall, that all of his
subjects who are within sight must
likewise stump his toe and fall just as
the king did, i'll other words they do
every thing the king does, whether it
is right or wrong, sensible or foolish,
and they consider every one who re-
fuses to do this us fool, a fanatic, and
fraud, and refuse to allow him the
full and complete right Of citizenship,
and ! expect that if they should hap
pen TO have few stale eggs they
would cast them at the poor recusant.
1t is the theory and spirit of our
government that the people are the
source and fountain of all power, chat
il is at their bidding and in accordance
with their desire that the fundamen-
tai principles of government are es-
tabished and all laws are enacted, ana
not that they are 10 be directed by a
few as to what they shall do in the
above respects, they are the directors
in all legal and 'ermental reforms
they are to lead and not 10 follow Ill
these respects. Were it otherwise
then the people would not be the SOW
ereigns. This same class of our people
who so blindly follow these political
leaders do so because by them they are
told that the adoption of this amend
mcnt will in some unbeatable meth
cd invade their personal liberty, and
by the very act of thus following these
leaders they enslave the noblest part
of their beings, their minds to the die
tation of others which is the most alb
ject and despisable of slavery. Let us
not allow tho brass collat of polit cal
slavery to be locked around our necks,
but let each and every one ofus exam
inc this question which is now before
us for our determination, boldly and
independently by and for ourselves
and then vote accordingly.
End. There is another class Of peo-
pie who allow their passions and
prejudices TO altogether usurp and
supplant their reasoning faculties and
are hurriedlv, and unthoughtcdly
rushed into doing inconsidcrate acts
and into adopting dangerous princi-
Piles and consequently some OF the
public speakers knowing this, attempt
TO secure The votes of this class bv ut
tering violent Trades and phillipizing
q respectable and honored class of our
citizenship and by Haunting the bloody 4